The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1887-04-30
SAVANNAH. GA. SATURDAY. April. 80 1887

them. His ranch being the furthest
out this side OF the Rocky Mountains, is
haven to weary overlanders to Cali
fornia.
Matthewson, besides the Kiowa
language had learned the sign language,
which is the common language between
all of the tribes. If you ask an Indian
how far any place is, and if he does not
speak your language, he will tell you
how many sleeps off it is. A sleep is
about 20 miles. If it is about 200 miles
of he will lay his head in his hand,
close his eyes and then hold up both
hands-it is ten sleeps off. If he wished
to tell you you lied, he would thrust out
two index fingers from his mouth, max
ing an obtuse angle-"you talk forked.'
Matthewson understood this sign
language perfectly, but the Indians did
not know this. Some Indians Of another
tribe had come in. They were talking
this sign language to group Of Kiowas;
What is it?"
"a prisoner got away. Prisone
white and a young girl. Stole one O
their ponies. Got away in a storm.
Will give one, two, thee, four five cat
tie Kiowa catch her"
can at once it flashed over me-" he
said. "A young girl alone on the plains,
two tribes banding to catch her My
brave one, Pm on your side! l sold them
Or half gave them the goods to get them
away. saddIed two horses--my mare
Bess and asplendid horse had. Itook
my carbine and two Colt revolyers.
told some struggling Kiowas that were
still three; MY cattle gone; must go
hunt them. l pushed off on the course
| knew she would be likely to take l
examine it close; yes, it is hers. Before
this strike a small band Of Kiowa In
dams, who were securing the plains for
her trail. Where you going2 Hunt
my cattle; four got away; two red, two
spotted. push on. l follow the trail
as long as | can see; camp; partner, |
was young then; didn't sleep much.
As soon as | can see the bent and
crushed grass of the trail Ipush on, east,
ever eastward. The girl has got sense
as well as pluck. She knows the settle
ment lies there. Bess losses her head
and leads out in a long stride. Suppose
these red imps strike across and get ahead
of me- Well, if it comes to the worst
/ couldn't go down IN a better cause.
Hour after hour nothing but the
sweep and the hateful sameness of the
stretch of the prairie. II is the middle
of the second evening. There's a speck
Come, Bess, we'll make that speck grow
bigger. It's horse and there's some
one on it.
Partner, Pm not the praying kind,
but did thank the Almighty. When she
looked around and saw me she was nigh
frightened to death, Her eyes looked
just like frightened fawn's, but the
next time she turned they looked like a
fawn's when she finds its mother has
scared it. Her Indian pony was shally.
l had her on my led horse in a jiffy. We
pushed for the first station or ranch on
the route. We changed horses there,
and still pushed on. We arc not safe
yet carried her to the settlement in
Kansas.
Her folks had all been murdered in
Texas. She made her home there after
ward. Partner, it would make pref
tier ending for me to say that [ married
that girl; but Ididn't; my time hadn't
come yet. Later on | larated a spcn-
did girl up off Kansas prairie.
Terrible Affection.
A physician says that man with but